Demographic and clinical profiles of familial cleft lip and palate: A comprehensive analysis from a high-volume cleft center in Telangana, India

Context: Cleft lip and palate (CLP) are congenital anomalies that vary in occurrence by geography. There are less data on the demographic and clinical profiles of familial cleft lip and/or palate cases in India. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the demographic and clinical profiles of familial cleft lip and/or palate cases in high-volume cleft center in Telangana, India. Settings and Design: This was a retrospective descriptive study with a population-specific setting. Subjects and Methods: After ethical clearance, this retrospective analysis was carried out at the GSR Institute of Craniofacial Surgery, a high-volume cleft center. Data from 4000 medical records spanning 4 years indicated 55 families with nonsyndromic familial cleft lip and/or palate cases. These 55 familial cases provided data on demographic and clinical characteristics such as socioeconomic level, consanguinity, CLP type, laterality, and gender distribution. They were entered into an Excel spreadsheet. Statistical Analyses Used: Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for statistical analysis. Results: Nonsyndromic familial cleft lip and/or palate cases increased significantly between 2020 and 2024 before declining in 2024. Consanguinity was common in 32.7% of households. The frequency of any clefts was higher in the lower socioeconomic class. The frequency of left and right unilateral complete cleft lip was seen in 16.4% and 5.5%, cleft palate was seen in 18.2%, and unilateral right-side CLP was seen in 23.6%, with male predominance. Conclusions: The present study found a male majority among familial cleft lip and/or palate instances, with right unilateral complete cleft being the most common. Consanguinity and low socioeconomic status were prevalent among affected families. A significant rise in cleft cases was observed in recent years, though this may reflect increased outreach efforts rather than a true increase in incidence. The growing frequency of cleft lip and/or palate in recent years, particularly the differences in our findings, shows that geographical variables may play a role.